In addition to the two observations made in yesterday’s post about the uniqueness of Jesus’ birth–His conception was a miracle and the unique purpose of His birth–consider two more matters recorded by Matthew:
Jesus’ birth is unique because it fulfilled prophecy. “ Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:22-25). Isaiah’s prophecy was not fulfilled soon after it was spoken. It was not fulfilled within Isaiah’s life nor the lifetime of King Ahaz, to whom it was spoken. Approximately seven hundred years passed before this unique birth occurred. Yet, the seed of woman, promised in Genesis 3:15, was born and, as Matthew will demonstrate by the end of his gospel, He did bruise the serpent’s head (a fatal blow) while being bruised by the serpent on the heal (a non-fatal blow). So, complete was His victory that Matthew’s final, recorded words of Jesus begin with the declaration: “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth…” (Matthew 28:18).
No religious book in human history has anything remotely comparable to the Bible’s predictive prophecies. No person in human history has had anything remotely comparable to the over 300 predictive prophecies made about and fulfilled by the One named “Jehovah is salvation.” Of this salvation, Peter wrote: “the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into” (1 Peter 1:10-12).
Jesus’ birth is unique because of His birth announcements. Loving parents have sent cards, made postings on social media, and even taken out newspaper ads to announce the arrival of their bundle of joy. But, no one else has ever been able to use a star (Matthew 2:1-2), the angel of the Lord (Luke 2:9-12), or a multitude of heavenly host (Luke 2:13) to announce a child’s birth! What a fitting anthem of praise was sung at His birth—“Glory to God in the highest”—when those “things the angels desire to look into” was finally introduced into human history.
“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable (indescribable, inestimable, incomparable, inexpressible) gift” (2nd Corinthians 9:15)!
